Cramped

Sabbath ,Grey #5, Shot by: Alessio Bolzoni, Styling by: Moren// Rene Magritte, Intermission, 1927

Rene Magritte would often redefine the norm but not in a way that was easily predictable. He takes that which you are familiar with and alters it just enough to make the viewer mildly uncomfortable and disturbed. However, he never did anything too harsh or surprising. In Intermission Magritte startles the viewer with the awkward yet subtle misplacement of the human anatomy. In a similar way Alession Bolzoni pushes the boundaries of the natural in the form and stance of his models. They are just different enough that their form is questionable, distinct, and irritating. Their unique stance does highlight the graceful and delicate flow of the clothing, which is the ultimate goal with an editorial.

Nude Angles

Man Ray 1924 Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow



Exstasis
Dazed & Confused; 
Shot by Matthew Stone

It's been a while since I've written anything with substance so I beg your pardon if I come across as dim. Though the surrealist movement is one that's hard for me to grasp, I've found its much easier to see photography's role in the movement. The day photographers began to view their medium as one that could be creative versus purely documentary an entirely new avenue opened. Man Ray is most definitely one of the largest names in avant-garde photography, and many of his works pushed the envelope artistically in various ways. He viewed photography as a form of creation rather than one that purely reproduced. He often used women as his subject matter, confronting the conservative viewer with the female body. Today the use of the nude still startles and causes discomfort in some viewers but it amazes me how truly artistic the use of the nude has become. Matthew Stone places the soft female body next to the harsh marble square but manages to remain delicate. Even the smoke can't make the image harsh.

Frida

Marxism Will Give Health to the Sick - Frida Kahlo. Oil on panel. 1954// Vogue Australia March 2011


The vibrant and warm colors featured in both of these works was the first element that led to the comparison of these two images. Both works are clustered with a lot of noise in the background, leading to a less focused view on the main subject. However, both works also manage to construct a feminine individuality within the model. Both are passionate, exotic, sharp and succeed in exercising the eye by sending it all throughout the work.




OR MAYBE THIS ONE MAKES MORE SENSE.. from the same Vogue spread as the other, I couldn't decide between the two:

Pablo's Everywhere

Vogue Italia February 2011// Picasso, demoiselles d'avignon 1907

I know I've already compared an editorial to demoiselles d'avignon, but I see the contorted and colorful women in most fashion spreads. I especially saw it in this Italian Vogue spread from Feb 2011. The hidden faces of the two side figures contrasted with the frontal gaze of the center model really evokes the way demoiselles confronts the viewer.

Egyptian Royalty

Vogue Russia May 2010//Queen Neferti bust c. 1370 BC – c. 1330 BC
Russian Vogue always has the most stunning editorials. This one is no exception. It is romantic and recalls an older age, while displaying the newest from Valentino, Givenchy, and Chanel.... check out more here: http://community.livejournal.com/noirfacade/350918.html?#cutid1

My Lover and Karen O.

T Magazine's Women's Fashion Summer 2010 editorial called Disorderly Conduct shot by Daniel Jackson // Photo of Pablo from the 1960's....

Being the avid Picasso lover that I am, I kind of think of him every single time I see a dark striped shirt, however, I decided that I respect Karen O.'s unique style and creativity enough to make the comparison between them.

Not incredibly related...

Here are some pieces that just sort of vaguely hinted towards one another




Robert Rauschenberg, Monogram, 1955-59, freestanding combine & an Editorial from French Vogue May 2010 discussing the rise in animal inspirations in fashion




The futurist work by Giacomo Balla, dynamism of a dog & Vogue China May 2010, Shot by: Patrick Demarchelier

Futurist work has always been incredibly interesting to me because of its depiction of movement. The futurist movement was all about progression, new styles, and new techniques. Balla's attempt at portraying movement in a new way has always been laughable to me. It seems the futurist strived so hard to embrace new technologies and styles, yet in their many attempts at portraying light and movement they completely ignored the newly mainstreamed camera. Instead they used classic oil paints, which had been used for centuries. The first photograph was taken in 1825, while Balla's painted was completed in 1912. Cameras weren't really implemented as a tool in art until a bit latter than the futurist were around, and maybe their movement would have lasted longer had they been able to think outside the box.